HOWTO: test data transfer speed

The data transfer speed between OSC and another network can be tested.

Test data transfer speed with iperf3 tool

Connect to a data mover host at osc and note the hostname.

$ ssh sftp.osc.edu
# login
$ hostname
datamover02.hpc.osc.edu
# the hostname may also be datamover01.hpc.osc.edu

From there, an iperf3 server process can be started. Note the port used.

iperf3 -s -p 5201
Server listening on 5201
# the above port number could be different

Next, on your local machine, try to connect to the iperf3 server process

iperf3 -c datamover02.hpc.osc.edu -p 5201

If it connects sucessfully, then it will start testing and then finish with a summary

Connecting to host datamover02.hpc.osc.edu, port 5201
...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bitrate
[  7]   0.00-10.00  sec  13.8 MBytes  11.6 Mbits/sec                  sender
[  7]   0.00-10.00  sec  13.8 MBytes  11.6 Mbits/sec                  receiver

Run iperf3 using docker (alternative)

Docker can be used if iperf3 is not installed on client machine, but docker is.

$ docker run --rm -it networkstatic/iperf3 -c datamover02.hpc.osc.edu -p 5201
Make sure iperf3 server process is running on OSC datamover host or client iperf3 will fail with error.